[font "Comic Sans MS"][size 2][#002850] Fished Willard Bay with ScottieB today. To get to the point, we got skunked! Actually for the reports I have been reading lately, I didn’t expect much more. I think fishing Bear Lake might have been a bit more productive.
We launched at 8:45 and got off the water at 2:30. We trolled slow (1.8 – 2.2 mph). We anchored up on the east side and tried casting and slow retrieving worm-tipped lures. We even tried some jigging. We used a wide variety of cranks and some curly tail jigs in white and chartreuse.
Water was about 48-49 degrees and the wind made the water a little choppy early on but smoothed out around noon.
As I often say, “even on the slowest days, I always learn something”. What did I learn today? … That I love that new Pro-Cure bait scent that I got at the expo. Man, that stuff stays on a long time and smells strong! Every lure I put back in my tackle box still had goop on it. I just hope it doesn’t dull the finish of my lures.
I also learnt that those new BFT flags work quite well. We seen a boat with one flying so we scooted over to it. It was FenceKid and his partner. Good to meet you guys for the first time.
Since it worked for us to see them, we decided to put our flag up … sure enough, Petety4life came over and said hi. Petty, who was that with you?
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We also hit Willard today. Launched at 7:00, got off around 2:30 from the North Marina. Everything was good about the fishing today...except for the catching. Something really smelled bad in the boat and then we realized it was the skunk...and then we found my cousins old worms. But we still got skunked. We also marked fish here and there. Sometimes schools of 3 or 4, mostly singles. Didn't know if they were carp or wipers or what. We trolled the whole west and north dikes, anchored out on the island for a while, anchored out by the lightpole, etc. etc. There were 4 of us using 2 poles each (Try that next time in a boat...we untangled more than anything) so I figure we put at least 63 man hours in today trying to catch a fish. We THINK we had one or possible even two bites trolling, but could not confirm either. We also noted that the wate temp varied from 47 on the east shore by the south marina, to over 50 (50.3) at the lightpole. We tried EVERYTHING. At least I tried everything my buddies had...since I left my tackle box in the truck (doh!). Anyway, it was a really good day to be out on the water, but I can't wait for the catching to get a little better. We talked to a lot of people and never saw one fish caught. After that we didn't feel so bad!
Randy
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Another tough day on the water it sounds like. I couldn't make it out today and it was really eating at me thinking that the bite could be on since it was such a nice day but I guess it wasn't any different than yesterday evening when I went. Another week and it could get better.
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Old coot that was Bearclaw with me today. we had about the same luck no fish. bearclaw did get a couple good hits but never got a hookup
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Well I'll be the fifth to report that I tried willard today and the the tally still sits at: Fish 5, BFTers 0. I went out around 1:30 from the south marina. I passed petty on the way in and I think I saw Wiperhunter and co. out there as well. I called out on the radio a couple of times but never heard any replies.
My son and I tried a bunch of favorites at 1.1- 2.5 mph with no takers. I tried the island, feed lot, and the s.e corner. The best part of the day (besides being a father/son outing) was that the motor ran awesome. It was the first trip after a carb rebuild. Now I'm ready to get serious with these fish.
Come on heat wave!!!!!
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Elkoholic:
Make that Fish 6, BFTrs 0. We fished from 12-3 at the island and along the southwest dike. Not a bite, not a nible.
What kind of radio were you calling out on? I had a VHF radio tuned to 16 and a GRMS radio tuned to 12 and never heard you.
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I have a gmrs radio also and I was on 12-0. Sometimes I can't hear it over my motor.
That might have been you that I passed when I got to the island. There was just me and my son in my boat.
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OK. Fish 7 , BFTrs 0
My and my wife fished from the south marina at 8 am until 10:30. no fish. We marked a lot of fish in the area where the water changed from clear to brown from the canal running out from the south marina. Does any one have BFT stickers on their boats? With all the people on the water I thought for sure we would have ran into somebody.
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All I can say is OUCH! Sounds like I didn't miss much...although fishin' sure beats workin'! I'm sure things will pick up soon, barring the screwy weather.
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I would like to join the crowd and say Fish 8, BFT members 0 but I broke the perfect record by catching a carp. I guess shouldn't count it because it was snagqed. I should have gone with my first thought and gone to Bear Lake.
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Sounds like the bite was off today .I guess me not showing up today was ok . I hate to see the skunk count get up anymore . I played at Lake X instead and fought the wind and at least the skunk stayed away . Finished off my break in on my new kicker today . Hope Willard picks up soon .
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Curt, I thought that was you out there. I was out in the little aluminum with my son. We were angling toward each other over by the feed lot and then I went around behind you. I didn't see any stickers on your boat so I didn't get any closer. I also didn't have my usual red hat on.
I guess I should look into the flag idea. Sound like it works out good.
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well here goes. me and AnglinAngel got skunked too. we trolled this and that and this and that fri night and most of sat with no luck. i did manage to hook up once on a glass shad rap, but he threw the hook well before i could get a look at him. big time heart breaker. sure felt good though. ran into old coot and scottie b for the first time. good to meet you guys and look forward to another run in. i guess we'll try again next week. if we could just get a week of warm stable weather, things should pick up. laters
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Well, why ruin the string. Me and a buddy took his new G3 out yesterday. Left the South marina about 11:00 and returned about 4:30 with no action. Saw a hardtoped boat with a cooler on the top flying a BFT flag trolling South from the Marina, but just goth the 4 lines in the water so didn't go over and say hey (too optomistic about catching). We tried everywhere with everything we had. Started with worm harnesses and then went into the trolling arsenal. Did get quite a few marks out in the middle where I have traditionally done well for wipers, but nada. It was nice to get out on the water, and good to know most of the boats out there were BFTr's.[
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Went to Willard to pay my dues today ( Sunday). Finally I landed a fish. Hooked up with a chubby 16" walleye over on the northern end of the bay. The surface temperature has come up to 51.7* as of 2:00pm it was down to 47* in the morning.
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Go figure!!![crazy]
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Hey MGB
I missed you on the first... BUT I WAS THINKING ABOUT YA!!!!!!
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So where are the details on this catch . That looks like a fine dinner walleye . So what was your speed trolling ? I nail a rainbow yesterday going 2.9 mph in 39* water . Hoping for some more good weather and I might make that 60 mile drive to pay some dues at Willard . My kicker is all broke in now . I can run 1.2 MPH to 5.6 MPH on a calm day . So I think I got it covered better this year . Kicker should pay for itself with the gas prices now in a couple years . 1/2 gallon of fuel in 2 days of fishing is not bad . But I didn't troll all the time either . I get my steering hooked up to my kicker and I think I'm done and about 1600.00 on my b.o.a.t. dues paid in full this year already . LOL I think I had more money before the boat to go fish and I can see now where it is going . Sure going to cut into my lucky craft habit . Dang it , I think I just found a name for my boat typing this thread finally . "Lucky Craft 69"
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I was hoping you had forgoten after 3 years. [
]. Remember it is healthier to forgive and forget. [
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he he he awe comeon ya know the best revenge is best served cold so I'm just going to keep that on my to do list until the right moment comes along.
oh.... by the way where are you going to be fishing this week?
DZ
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